Tooth paste dispenser with tube and brush support



Nov. 3, 1964 J. c. FERGUSON, JR 3,155,279

TOOTH PASTE DISPENSER WITH TUBE AND BRUSH SUPPORT Filed April 4, 1965 Fig 2 1 Fig. 1

Jacob 6. FergusomJr.

INVENTOR.

BY MM 12% United States Patent 3,155,279 TOOTH PASTE DISPENSER WITH TUBE AND BRUSH SUPPORT Jacob C. Ferguson, Jr.,'961 Castro Drive,

Sacramento 25, Calif. Filed Apr. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 270,670 4 Claims. (Cl. 22293) stand to dispense tooth paste without the removal of the cap therefrom.

Another object of this invention in accordance with the preceding objects specified, resides in the provision of tooth paste conducting means in the novel holding cap through which tooth paste may be dispensed to a .brush.

Still another object of this invention resides in a tooth paste conducting cap which also has means integrally formed therewith for supporting a toothbrush.

Yet another object of this invention resides in the provision of a tooth paste tube holder and brush support wherein the brush may be readily removed from the holder and the bristles thereof may be reversed in the holder to receive tooth paste conducted through the holder, and wherein the brush may be readily removed from said last named position in a rapid and efficient manner.

Another object of this invention resides in its simplicity of construction and durable and efficient use.

These together with other objects-and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the tooth paste tube and brush holder comprising the subject matter of the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken through the longitudinal axis of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 and illustrates the use of the apparatus in conjunction with a tooth paste tube and brush.

FIGURE 3 is a detailed view of the upper portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 2 and further illustrating a step in the use of the device.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 and illustrating certain details of the stand of the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2 and illustrates the brush holding portion of the novel cap utilized in the instant invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the instant invention contemplates the use of two elements, one of which comprises a conventional type collapsible tooth paste tube suspending stand generally designated by the numeral and the other element comprises a novel dispensing cap and toothbrush support indicated by the numeral 12. The stand 10 comprises an upright or body portion 14 the top portion of which is hollow as shown at 13 to form a semi-cylindrical body portion 16 conforming to the shape of a tooth paste tube 18. The bottom portion of the body member 14 has an angled surface 20 to conform to the angulated bottom surface of the tooth paste tube 13. The vertical upright or body 3,155,279 Patented Nov. 3, 1964- portion 14 of the stand 10 is integrally formed with and rises perpendicularly from a horizontal circular base member 22. As shown in FIGURE 2, a hollow space 24 is left between the curved outer portion of the body member 14 and the angulated surface 20 for the reception of a suitable weighted member 26 for maintainingthe stand portion 10 of the device in an upright position.

The top of the body member 14 terminates in a conical hood 28 having an apertured center portion 30. The threads 32 on the top of a standard tooth paste tube are adapted to extend through the aperture 30 and the cap 12 having a threaded central portion 34 formed .ceutrally in a conical portion 36 thereof is adapted to threadedly retain the tube within the stand 10 by clamping the top conical portion .38 of the tube up against the conical portion 28 of the stand. A passage 40 formed in the cap 12 is adapted to communicate with the orifice through the customarily threaded neck of the tooth paste tube whereby when the tube is squeezed tooth paste will be forced out of said orifice into the passage 40. A sloping inner guiding wall 42 guides the dispensed tooth paste to a suitable orifice 44 formed in the cap 12. It should .be noted that the cap is generally cylindrical in cross section but has two extending arms 46 and 48 from one portion of the cap. A slot 50 spaces the arms 46 and 48 from each other and each arm has a recess portion .52 and 54 terminating in shoulders 56 and 58. A brush .60 having an enlarged rectangular head 62 terminating in shoulders 64 and so is normally supported within the slot 50 by having the shoulders 64- and 66 seated on the shoulders 56 and 58 of the recesses 52 and 54 respectively. To remove the brush all one has to do is to raise it vertically from the slot 5% It should be noted however, that the bristles 68 of the brush are of a sufiicient width to pass laterally through the slot 50 to an abutting position with the orifice 44 of the passageway 40. Therefore, as shown in FIGURE 3, to use the device all that is necessary is for the brush to be removed from the holding portion of the cap 12. and reversed so that the bristles may be slid adjacent the orifice 44. Then the tube 1.8 may be squeezed and tooth paste will be caused to flow through the passageway 40 and guided by the wall 42 to the orifice 44. By oscillating the brush vertically, the bristles may be substantially filled with tooth paste from the tube and orifice. After the user is finished with the brush, the brush may once again be slid vertically within the slot 50 until the shoulders 64 and 66 of the brush abut the shoulders 56 and 58 of the recesses 52 and 54 in the cap 12. I-tshould be appreciated that the tube is never removed from the device after each use. It is only necessary when no tooth paste is any longer available in the tube 18 to remove it but yet another tube may be quickly and efliciently substituted.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a tooth paste dispenser comprising a stand embodying a base, an upright mounted on and rising from said base, a conical hood formed integrally with the top portion of said upright, said hood having an aperture, a tube of tooth paste having the usual threaded neck, said neck being received within and projecting beyond said aperture and the top of said hood, a neckclosing cap having a conical base and a threaded aperture threadedly engaging said neck and clamping the tooth paste tube upon the hood, said cap having a lateral passage which is communicable with the discharge neck of said paste tube and means on said cap for accommodatingly supporting an attachable and detachable conventional-type tooth brush, a lateral passage in said cap terminating in a pair of spaced arms extending laterally beyond a peripheral portion of the cap and an abutment shoulder on each of said arms extending toward the space therebetween, the lateral passage in said cap ter- Ininating in the space between said arms whereby upon manually positioning the bristles of the tooth brush in said space and squeezing the tube, tooth paste will be dispensed through said passage to the head of said brush.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said upright has a partly cylindrical upper portion joined to a hollowed angulated lower portion conforming to the shape of a tube of tooth paste.

3. In combination, a toothbrush holder and tooth paste dispenser comprising a portable self-standing stand embodying a base adapted to reside flatwise on a table or other stationary support surface, an upright joined at a lower end to and rising vertically from said base, said upright being adapted to permit a conventional collapsible tooth paste tube to be suspended in close proximity thereto, a hood formed integrally with and projecting laterally from an upper portion of said upright and overlying said base, said hood being adapted to conformingly abut an upper end portion of the tooth paste tube and having an axial opening permitting the usual screw-threaded neck of said tooth paste tube to project through and beyond the same, a readily attachable and detachable closing cap for the tube neck, said cap having a recessed bottom portion contacting and conformable in shape to said hood, said cap having a peripheral porand accordingly with the discharge neck of a tooth paste tube, said passage communicating at its outer end with a space existing between said arms, opposed inwardly disposed surfaces of said arms bordering said passage being provided with means for removably suspending the head of the toothbrush and permitting said head to be arranged so that when the back is in one position it closes the discharge end of said passage and alternatively, when the bristles are aligned with the passage, and by reversing the position of the head, tooth paste can then be dispensed through the passage for application directly to the bristla of the brush.

4. In combination, a tooth paste dispenser comprising a self-standing but port-able base, an upright affixed to and arising from said base, a conical hood integrally formed with the top of said upright and centrally aperture, a tube of tooth paste having the usual screw threaded discharge neck passing removably upwardly through the aperture in said hood, a closing cap having a conical base and a threaded aperture threadedly engaging said neck, a lateral passage in said cap communicating with the interior of the tube by way of said discharge neck, and means for removably supporting a toothbrush on said cap, comprising a pair of spaced integral arms extending laterally from a peripheral surface of said cap, each arm having an abutment shoulder extending toward the space existing between said arms, said space being adapted to receive the head of a toothbrush, the lateral passage in said cap terminating proximal to and communicating with the space between said arms whereby upon manually positioning and holding the bristles of a toothbrush in said space and squeezing the tube, tooth paste issuing from the tubes discharge neck will be dispensed through said passage and delivered to the bristles of said brush.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,155,279

November 3, 1964 Jacob C. Ferguson, Jr.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as' shown below:

In the heading to the printed specification, line 4, 961 Castro Drive" should read 961 Castec Drive (SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN COMBINATION, A TOOTH PASTE DISPENSER COMPRISING A STAND EMBODYING A BASE, AN UPRIGHT MOUNTED ON AND RISING FROM SAID BASE, A CONICAL HOOD FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH THE TOP PORTION OF SAID UPRIGHT, SAID HOOD HAVING AN APERTURE, A TUBE OF TOOTH PASTE HAVING THE USUAL THREADED NECK, SAID NECK BEING RECEIVED WITHIN AND PROJECTING BEYOND SAID APERTURE AND THE TOP OF SAID HOOD, A NECKCLOSING CAP HAVING A CONICAL BASE AND A THREADED APERTURE THREADEDLY ENGAGING SAID NECK AND CLAMPING THE TOOTH PASTE TUBE UPON THE HOOD, SAID CAP HAVING A LATERAL PASSAGE WHICH IS COMMUNICABLE WITH THE DISCHARGE NECK OF SAID PASTE TUBE AND MEANS ON SAID CAP FOR ACCOMMODATINGLY SUPPORTING AN ATTACHABLE AND DETACHABLE CONVENTIONAL-TYPE TOOTH BRUSH, A LATERAL PASSAGE IN SAID CAP TERMINATING IN A PAIR OF SPACED ARMS EXTENDING LATERALLY BEYOND A PERIPHERAL PORTION OF THE CAP AND AN ABUTMENT SHOULDER ON EACH OF SAID ARMS EXTENDING TOWARD THE SPACE THEREBETWEEN, THE LATERAL PASSAGE IN SAID CAP TERMINATING IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID ARMS WHEREBY UPON MANUALLY POSITIONING THE BRISTLES OF THE TOOTH BRUSH IN SAID SPACE AND SQUEEZING THE TUBE, TOOTH PASTE WILL BE DISPENSED THROUGH SAID PASSAGE TO THE HEAD OF SAID BRUSH. 